Anjaneri Fort- 1 Hill, 2 Temples & A Thousand Scorpions

Anjaneri is a special place to me personally. This stems from my devotion to Mahaveer Hanuman. I have explored a lot of treks, many in Maharashtra and some outside. However, this trek stands as the only one where I felt peaceful, yet energetic.

This blog is my sincere attempt to give you a glimpse of Anjaneri Fort’s beauty through words (& some pictures).

On an important note, keep it clean. Carry your litter bags to avoid messing up the place. Nature is beautiful–let’s keep it that way.

Significance of Anjaneri Parvat

Anjaneri Parvat is the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, the incarnation of Mahadev. This speaks for its religious importance. 

This is the place where Hanumanji’s mother, Mata Anjani, performed a one-legged penance. Legend has it that this penance impressed Lord Shiva, leading him to take incarnation as her son. Thus, the hill also has a temple of Anjani Mata. 

It is said that Maharishi Gautam also used to meditate on this hill. This will make sense if you know that the Godavari River in Trimbakeshwar, behind Anjaneri, has mythological connections to Rishi Gautam’s penance.

Apart from its religious significance, this hill is also known for its beautiful flora.

• It is home to about 350 species of plants, including an extremely rare flower.
• Adding to this, scientists have also discovered a flower, Ceropegia anjanerica, that grows only on the Anjaneri Hills.

Anjaneri Lake

The lake in Anjaneri also has special significance. The shape of the lake resembles a footprint, and when you trek a bit further above the lake, you can clearly see it. This footprint is said to be that of Mahaveer Hanuman.

The story behind it is that when Hanumanji took his huge leap to take a bite from the sun, the immense pressure created a footprint. This footprint now fills with water, which we see in the form of a lake.

Anjaneri Temple

The prime attraction of the fort is obviously the 2 Anjaneri temples. These 2 temples are both unique in themselves.

One of the temples is dedicated to Anjani Mata, mother of Hanumanji. This is the only temple of Anjani Mata you’ll ever see.

The second temple, which is the main destination of the trek, is even more unique. The temple is dedicated to Hanumanji. However, the idol of Hanumanji is depicted as a child in this temple. This is also something you won’t get to see in other temples.

The Trek

Anjaneri hill is above 4000 feet from sea level. The hill is famous for its tiring hike. I am an athlete myself, but I also was a bit exhausted (& hungry) OMW home from the hike. 

The total trip from parking, through Anjani Mata temple, & finally to Hanuman temple is about 2.5 Kms. It takes about half-an-hour to reach Anajani Mata temple from parking. From there it will take anywhere from about 60-90 minutes to reach Hanuman temple. 

My suggestion is to visit the Sita Cave which is at the beginning of the trek. A bit off-route, but worth it. There are many boards on the way to guide you throughout. 

There are about 108 caves on this mountain. Believed to be from the 11th century, these caves are a piece of art. I have not personally been to all of them, but other visitors appreciate them a lot.

We are talking about Hanumanji, the monkey god. So it goes without saying that Anjaneri is a home to a lot of monkeys. A bit mischievous, these monkeys try to steal food so “Stay Alert!”

I went hiking in the monsoons, so I didn’t see a lot of monkeys. Although, I saw a bunch of scorpions on the hill. They didn’t bite or anything though!

The fort is also famous for its reverse waterfalls. If you visit in monsoons, & luck favours you that day, you might be able to witness its beauty. 

Tips to Visit Anjaneri Fort

I can’t stress this enough – Keep the area clean. Carry something to keep your litter in one place. Other essentials to carry are:

• Good shoes (ideally trekking ones)
• Enough water
• Some snacks  

Anjaneri trek is a bit difficult. So I advise against trekking with kids, especially elders. Also, the hike gets a bit difficult in monsoons so everyone, regardless of their age, trek safely. This is especially true while coming down from the hill.

In a nutshell, this place is a must-visit for all the Hanuman devotees & Trekkers equally. Dedicate a day to this place & see for yourself.

Feel free to explore our site, & especially our dedicated page on Nashik. We have explored a bunch of other places like this, which you can find only on That’s-in-India.